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3 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation | Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? e-edition | subscribe | newsletter | deals Home News Latest Stories Emergency services, April 12 Public meetings: April 13-17 Gold Hill may get a full-time police officer Staffing shortages keep vets waiting at SORCC VA clinics statewide can't compete with private sector Crime, Courts and Emergency Services Emergency services, April 12 Emergency services, April 11 Jury awards more than 200K in Rogue River dog-barking case, orders dogs debarked Alleged subscription scammers may be violating state restraining order Central Point police pull attempted theft suspect from prickly hiding spot Politics and Elections Arthur I. Cyr: Britain’s earthquake election Former state Senate President Brady Adams dies Arthur I. Cyr: Afghanistan progress is uneven but undeniable Jackson County Commissioners plan no tax on marijuana for one year Arthur I. 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Auditions for youth musical set at Camelot Review: From past into present in OSF's 'Long Day's Journey' ‘A Dream of Red Pavilions’ at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival Music The Brothers Reed celebrate new CD 'Sick as Folk' Britt Festivals line-up kicks off June 6 Rhythm is on tap at the Northwest Percussion Festival Gene Burnett tonight at Liquid Assets in Ashland The Farr Side: No Zayn Malik? One Direction stays the course Community Events Ashland Co-Dependent Film Festival 2015 Pear Blossom Festival kicks off in Medford Ashland Independent Film Festival announces 2015 lineup Hip-Hop Poetry Open Mic at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival MailTribune.com rolls out new calendar Dining Restaurant inspections, April 12, 2015 La Tapatia offers authentically delicious cuisine RESTAURANT INSPECTIONS: Sunday, April 5 The Laughing Clam in Grants Pass offers seafood-heavy menu Standing Stone owners to open Medford brewpub and restaurant Tempo Videos Classifieds Jobs Autos Real Estate FEATURED » Obits Blogs TV Listings Movie Listings Oregon Outdoors Oregon Healthy Living Special Sections Business Services NEWS NOW Gold Hill may get a full-time police officer ... Talent Middle School to launch School of Design and Innovation ... Guest Opinion: Removing barriers to walking, biking benefits everyone ... Gold Hill may get a full-time police officer ... Talent Middle School to launch School of Design and Innovation ... Guest Opinion: Removing barriers to walking, biking benefits everyone ... CRIME Boy likely saved mom from being murdered Man threw her off roof, had her in a chokehold By Vickie Aldous Mail Tribune MailTribune.com By Vickie Aldous Mail Tribune Posted Apr. 9, 2015 @ 3:58 pm Updated Apr 9, 2015 at 6:00 PM By Vickie Aldous Mail Tribune Posted Apr. 9, 2015 @ 3:58 pm Updated Apr 9, 2015 at 6:00 PM » Social News p bs:newslist StartDate="20121121" EndDate="p bs:datecalc Months="3"" DateSort="1" UseObjects="1" ObjectClass="81" Taxonomywords="2325,665" ExactTaxonomyMatch="1" Image="1" Count="4" --> A Medford mom credits her 6-year-old son with saving her from being murdered by a man who threw her off a roof, attempted to snap her neck three times and had her in a chokehold. "My son ran up and started hitting him and telling him to stop and he was a bad guy," said the mother, Abigail Beers. Matthew James Hopkins, 25, had his girlfriend Beers in a chokehold with one arm and pushed the boy away with his other arm. In doing so, Hopkins loosened his grip and Beers got away, according to court testimony. "My son distracted him enough," Beers said. On Thursday, a sobbing Hopkins was sentenced to five years and 10 months in prison for the October 2014 attack at a Medford apartment complex on Black Oak Drive. He pleaded guilty to second- and fourth-degree assault and strangulation, avoiding a potential conviction on attempted murder and other charges. His trial had been set to begin next week. "Mr. Hopkins, she was one breath away from this being a 25-year-to-life sentence. This could have so easily been a murder," said Jackson County Circuit Judge Kelly Ravassipour. "You need to be grateful she lived." Hopkins tried to snap Beers' neck twice by violently jerking her head from behind, then pushed her off the complex roof, where she fell more than eight feet onto a fence and a concrete patio. She suffered bruises and injuries to her elbow, wrist and ankle, according to court documents and testimony. Afraid for her son and daughter, Beers ran back into the apartment. Hopkins came downstairs and tried to snap her neck again, then put her in the chokehold. "I thought I wasn't going to get away and that my kids were going to watch me die," Beers said. Her children were ages 6 and 7 at the time. Medford police Officer Bob McCurley said Beers was very close to death. "There have been a lot of domestic violence homicides in Jackson County in recent years, and this could have easily added to that list," he said. McCurley praised Beers for her bravery in speaking about what happened and going through the court process. "She's a very brave woman for standing up. She's not going to be a victim anymore," McCurley said. Defense attorney John Hamilton objected to the 70-month prison sentence, which was 10 months longer than the sentence recommended by the Jackson County District Attorney's Office after negotiations with the defense. Ravassipour said she imposed the longer sentence under state Measure 11 mandatory minimum guidelines for second-degree assault because the Oregon Legislature, in adopting exceptions for some mandatory sentences, had not meant exceptions to apply to such serious cases. Hamilton said Hopkins, who sobbed throughout the plea and sentencing hearing, had been crying often while held in Jackson County Jail. He has been held in jail since October 2014 with no bail. Hamilton said Hopkins had been having severe mental health problems days before the attack. In an affidavit filled out by Medford police the day of the attack, police said Hopkins tried to hang himself with a belt in the bathroom after he assaulted Beers but was interrupted by a neighbor just before police arrived. "I snapped and I'm sorry and I lost control," Hopkins said through tears in court. McCurley said he believed Hopkins was crying only for himself, not the victim. Staff reporter Vickie Aldous can be reached at 541-776-4486 or [email protected] . Follow her on Twitter at www.twitter.com/VickieAldous . By Vickie Aldous Mail Tribune MailTribune.com By Vickie Aldous Mail Tribune Posted Apr. 9, 2015 @ 3:58 pm Updated Apr 9, 2015 at 6:00 PM » Comment or view comments /* $( document ).ready(function() { // Jquery mobile is trying to style the button and leaving a blank gry button on top of a white button $("#viafouracoms .vf-comment-controls li.vf-right").html(' Submit '); });*/ » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. calendar Connect with MailTribune.com Facebook Twitter RSS Back to top Reader Services Reader Services Home Subscriptions Subscriber controls Contact us Submissions Photos Events Letters to the editor Corrections Announcements Obituaries Story ideas Since you asked Alerts Email Alerts RSS Feeds Text Alerts Advertise Media Kit Home Products and services Ad rates Advertising contacts Mail Tribune Daily Tidings The Nickel Shop Our Valley Blogs Stay Informed Email newsletter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. 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